Genuinely funny. Although some situations are dated, human behavior (or misbehavior) is clearly constant.
In this story, men take their turn at captivity on an alien planet after having raised an alien in captivity on Earth. It starts promising but mostly falters.
Like the Titanic, the Star Lord was considered by many to be indestructible. Its fate is predictable. The story is competently written, but isn't particularly gripping.
This novel is presumed to be autobiographical and is not the light-hearted whimsy of Three Men in a Boat, although there is humor to be found. Jerome is at his best when writing humor. In this book, Jerome reveals (via Kelver) his sometimes reluctant reconciliation with his role as a humorist.
I imagine only fans of Jerome will be likely to give this book a read. It is more powerful and touching for being so clearly heartfelt, but may not be of much interest to those not interested in Jerome.